Trees or shrubs, 3-6(-10) m tall. Bark gray, usually with vertical fissures. Stipules 4-8 cm. Petiole 1.5-3 cm, usually tinged reddish; leaf blade elliptic-oblong to sublanceolate, 7-16 × 3-6 cm, abaxial midvein reddish, base broadly cuneate, apex acute to apiculate. Inflorescences 2-flowered cymes; peduncle 0.7-10 mm.

Flowers sessile. Calyx lobes ovate, concave, 1-1.4 cm, apex acute. Petals are lanceolate, flat, 6-8 mm, membranaceous, glabrous, white. Stamens mostly 12, 4 adnate to base of petals, 8 adnate to sepals, 6-7.5 mm; anthers nearly sessile, apex apiculate. Ovary largely enclosed by disk, free part 1.5-2.5 mm; style ca. 1 mm. Fruit ca. 2.5 × 1.5 cm, apical half narrower. Hypocotyl cylindric-clavate, ca. 3.8 × 1.2 cm, ± blunt before falling. Fl. and fr. all year.